Rossi: Kind words for Obama on Iraq

He has decried and vowed to repeal a bevy of Obama domestic initiatives, but Republican Senate candidate Dino Rossi tipped his hat to the 44th president on Tuesday, commending President Obama for staying the course in Iraq.

“I commend the President for recognizing the troop surge so skillfully implemented by General (David) Petraeus and expertly carried out by our brave service men and women represented the best chance for success in Iraq,” Rossi said in a statement.

“Instead of governing by opinion polls or yielding to political pressure from those in his own party, President Obama continued to fund this strategy, fulfilling America’s commitment to bring stability to Iraq and improve the long-term prospects in the region.”

“Our success in Iraq has everything to do with the hard work of our men and women in uniform, the Iraqi people and President Bush’s resolve,” said Cornyn. “It has nothing to do with President Obama’s campaign promise to carry out the previous administration’s plan for returning U.S. troops from Iraq.”

It is in Rossi’s interests to be generous.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., voted against Congress’ Iraq war resolution in 2002. Opposition to the Iraq War became a kind of litmus test in Washington’s dovish Democratic Party.

The surge, initially opposed by then-Sen. Obama, was advocated and championed by Republicans’ 2008 presidential nominee Sen. John McCain.

Petraeus is now overseeing the U.S. troop and civilian buildup in Afghanistan, designed to isolate the Taliban.

“This is not the end of our relationship with Iraq: Instead it signals a new phase, where the U.S. will continue to work with Iraq to ensure continued stability and success,” Rossi said.